Persona 3: Light in Darkness
by Iridescent Moonlight
Summary: Nyx. The Fall. The loss of Minato Arisato. Many years have passed since then, but what of one girl who remembered him and the promise between them? It is time for her story.
1. The Beginning

Ten years.

When I was a child, time passed by so slowly. I remember looking out the window of the car as my mother and I left the city with only one thought in my mind - that the end was near. I don't know how or why I knew this, but I did. The end of the world was dawning upon us.

That year had been the best in my life. Being a lonely little girl who spent her time after school away from activities that others would engage in, there was no surprise that I didn't get along with most of my classmates. Back in those days there was no one for me to turn to, no one to comfort me through the bickering of my parents, and no one to smile at my kindly to let me know it would be all right in the end.

Until the day I met him, that is. From that moment on my entire life began to revolve around one figure.

You may laugh and call it nothing but a childish crush, but I knew even back then it wasn't. One day I was going to be a 'mommy' and he was going to be the 'daddy.' The bead ring I gave him promised this between us. There was a connection I couldn't ignore at all. Maybe that's why through a majority of my teenage years I remained a recluse, not wanting to get involved with other things people my age did. And maybe that's also why when my mother was killed in a car accident, I found myself back to the place I last say him.

Eight years of my life dedicated solely to the memory of him. I wanted to see him. There was a period of time where I had forgotten all about him suddenly, shortly after I left with my mother, but it passed by and the memories came back so very quickly. Now here I was ready to seek out the man whom I had already given my heart away to as a child. A silly teenager of seventeen I may be, but I am also a woman in love - don't piss me off if you don't want to miss a hand afterwards.

Now now, I'm not exactly a mean person. I'm just...okay, maybe I am a bit bitter. My mother just died for crying out loud and my father wasn't willing to take me in now that he had his new wife and son to take care of. At least he arranged for me to stay in a dorm on the outskirts of town. Even if I had to stay in a cardboard box, though, I wouldn't leave. Not until I saw him again.

Minato Arisato, you better watch out! Maiko Kuroki is going to hold you to your promise whether you like it or not!

"The greatest of all musicians was named Orpheus. He sang a wide variety of songs. Sometimes he sang high-pitched songs about the mystical creation of the universe. Other times he played low notes on his lyre as he sang of the battles of Zeus ad the Olympians gods who clashed against the Titans. Orpheus even had songs about people who were changed into flowers or birds.

After the Argonauts returned to Greece, Orpheus fell in love with a beautiful woman names Eurydice. They were married and a great feast was held in their honor. On the day of their wedding, Eurydice strolled through a nearby field and talked joyfully with her friends. But as she walked through the bright green meadow, she stumbled upon a poisonous snake. The huge serpent bit her and she died. Orpheus was heartbroken over this cruel fate. He had been married and widowed on the same day. After many weeks of mourning, he decided that he would go to Hades,the land of the dead. There he would plead for his wife.

Efforts to try to bring her back were but in vain, as he failed to follow the rules of the underworld...

It is said that when Orpheus finally met his death, the birds wept on the hillside.The trees shed their leaves and the nearby streams were swollen with their own tears. Orpheus' spirit went down to the Underworld and he soon found Eurydice. Although it is a shadowy existence the two walk together for eternity without fear of another separation."

What in the world? Who read out loud in a place like this? Seriously, people, it's in the middle of the day in a very public shrine- waaaaaait a minute, I know that guy!

A man in stripes with gray hair and a forlorn air around him slowly lifted his head. There was confusion written on his features, as if not used to anyone pointing at him. Oh, wait, whoops. Pointing on my part was rude, "...Yes?"

"Akinari!"

--

There. The end of the first section. It was short on purpose mostly to see how people will take this story For those who don't know, Maiko (her last name was made up by me) is the Hanged Man Social Link from Persona 3, and Akinari is the Sun Social Link. Maiko, as hinted by first person, will be the main character, and others from the game will come into play. This won't be just the typical "Let's save Minato!" story since it'll focus on characters other then the main from the game, though two of the main ones from this fanfic will be Junpei and Chidori...

Well, anyway, tell me what you think!


	2. The Contract

The first actual chapter of the story. I was in the mood to get it up quickly so I did n.n This is my first fanfiction in a long time, so please keep in mind I might be a bit out of touch. To answer a few questions that will inevitably come up, as well as to answer the reviews;

**youknowwhatman**: Yes, Maiko, the little girl that Minato Arisato befriends at the shrine.

**StarGuy**: Loveless sort of answered it for me xD When Akinari faded away, I viewed him as never having been there to begin with, making him a ghost. That won't really matter too much in this fanfic since it wasn't Akinari she saw at all, but that won't come into play until later.

**Loveless**: You got it right from my view.

Other questions that may be asked;

**Will there be the Dark Hour?**

No. There actually -isn't- a dark hour. All of the persona-weilding goodness will be done outside of the Dark Hour since that no longer exists. This will be explained later in the story.

**Who from Persona 3 will be in this?**

You'll just have to read and find out. So far Maiko and the guy from this chapter, at least.

**What couples will there be?**

To be honest...I have no idea at all. Err, there are two couples already, that of Akihiko x Mitsuru and Junpei x Chidori, but they haven't been spoken of yet.

**What inspired you to write this?**

The scene that maxes out the Hanged Man Arcana in the first edition of the game, not FES. I'm not sure if its different in FES...plus I wanted to write a Persona fanfic in the same city of Persona 3 some years later. Don't get upset if the ideas I have from the game clash with your own theory, please. It's just a fanfic.

**Why does it seem different to read?**

Probably because this is written in first person from Maiko Kuroki's view. As such some events will not be known at all, such as what's going on behind the scenes.

**Wait! In the chapter...!**

Yes, in this chapter, there are actual quotes from the game. And yes, the scene between Maiko and (??) was staged to be like that of the game itself, except her reaction was far different from Minato's.

--

The land was dark and the sky was drawn as a curtain over the glory of the heavens, dimming the light of the twinkling stars. But this dim scene was not one of sadness, for hope lay on the horizon. The faintest hints of red began to crawl up as more and more of the night sky gave way to the golden hue that was now spreading across the horizon. Like a small child, the sun slowly peeked its gleaming head over the horizon, its first rays piercing through the land like the arrows of keen-eyed archers.

As light returned to fill the world, the subtle light of the island became clear, a beautiful testament to their maker. The field gleamed a light green, the grass rippling in the cool morning breeze. In the distance the peaks which seemed as forbidding mountains in the night now were seen to be tall majestic monuments to the earth itself. At the base of the mountain knolls formed. A glistening stream wound its way around the hills flowing ever south. A myriad of wonderful creatures could be seen from time to time drinking of the clear, life-giving waters.

Lost between the realm of reality and dreams, I can't quite tell if I am conscious or not. It was an odd feeling really, to feel so light and free as if nothing in the world matter, only to be uncertain if it the truth or not. Am I sleeping or am I awake? It's a valid question, isn't it? So, with that being said, how could a person tell the difference, if they were even questioning it? At the same time did it matter? Could it be simply dismissed as something of little importance in the grand spectrum of things?

I was dreaming. That much was decided when I noticed that I was under the surface of the ocean looking up at the moon through the layers of water. It was oddly comfortable to be there floating as if I myself am a mermaid princess in a sea-kissed prison, free to do as I pleased as long as I didn't break the chains that kept me bound. The moon illuminated me through the veil that covered me as if coaxing me to return to the world above just for a second. And so I did.

My eyes regained focus. Had I been dreaming of a dream, or had I simply been so lost in my own thoughts that dreams had overcome me? Either way, in order to keep from confusing myself, I decided hastily to root myself firmly back in conscious form in order to keep from falling off that edge once more. It was too earlier to sleep anyway especially while I was here.

The world around me fully returned. There was no sun in the sky beginning to shine, no mountains in the distance, no creatures...just this shrine and the man in front of me. It must have looked pretty odd to him for a girl to suddenly call out his name when he clearly didn't recognize her. Ah well, it had been a long time.

"Akinari-san," I corrected myself from the outburst, "Don't you remember me? We used to play together when I was a child!"

All he could do was stare at me in confusion, slowly shaking his head, "I apologize. I do not remember ever meeting a child here at this shrine."

Damn, was I that forgettable? Maybe no one would know me at all nowadays. With a heavy sigh I nodded in understanding. I had things to do, after all, and catching up on the best wouldn't do me much good at all. Right as I turned to walk away, I felt a chill run up my spine. The wind picked up around me and tousled the edges of my waist-length hair as it whispered directly to me.

"Time never waits. It delivers all equally to the same end. You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be...You will be given one year; go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide..."

"What the...?!" Spinning around, I stared wide-eyed in the place the gray-haired man had been moments before. To see no one there anymore was just a little unnerving for understandable reasons. Where had Akinari gone? Was I losing my mind all ready?

"Maybe I'm more tired then I realized," Grinning to myself, I swung my bag over my shoulder and descended the steps of the shrine where I would return to within a day or so. I had missed this old place far more then I realized. Nothing was wrong with that, right? Right.

This dorm hadn't been used in a long time. At least, that's why I was told. It was a pretty nice place too. Big, very big, considering there was only one other person supposedly staying in it at the moment. When school started up hopefully more would. Father might've refused me a place with him, but at least he didn't put me somewhere tacky.

Opening the door, I took a moment to look around. There was a television in front of me, two couches and a chair with a table between them to my right, a sign-in sheet, desktop computer, and counter to my left, and a large dining table along with a bar-type thing housing swivel chairs in the room behind the television. Eh, not a bad room for the common portion of the dorm. I could've done worse.

"You're late. I've been waiting a long time for you."

"Gah...!" Stepping backwards and dropping my bad, I stared wide-eyed at the boy behind the counter who was not there a minute ago. I swear he wasn't! I wasn't losing it, for the love of...!

"Didn't your mother tell you not to sneak up on a lady?!" I snapped in agitation, by frazzled nerves beginning to come out in various ways. Instead of being phased, the boy waved his hand over the book, causing the pages to open as if by magic, "Now if you want to proceed, please sign your name there. It's a contract. Don't worry, all it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions. You know, the usual stuff."

...Why I needed to sign a contract didn't really make sense, but whatever. It was getting late already (despite my dreams of the sun just coming up) and I wasn't about to ask questions. Freaky ass little kid, just appearing out of nowhere like that...didn't people have any manners? Well, regardless of that, I snatched the pen and signed my name quickly, muttering a bit under my breath about the day going to hell.

"No one can escape time. It delivers us all to the same end. You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes."

"Uh, I wasn't plugging my- hey, what the...?" He was gone. Just like that. With him disappearing came back the chill. Mister Disembodied-Voice-In-My-Ear decided to stop by too, "And so it begins..."

Dammit all, if I was suddenly being haunted by a spirit, couldn't it at least let me know so I could call in a exorcist? I didn't have time to deal with this weird occult crap.

"Excuse me?" Great. Another strange person. This guy looked pretty normal, unlike the freaky kid with black hair, bright blue eyes, and unusual stripped jail-bait clothing, "Are you the new student?"

"Umm...yeaaaaaah...kinda sorta maybe. It depends. Who are you?"

Hearing him chuckle quietly relaxed me a bit. He stepped forward so I could get a better look at him; dusty brown hair compared to my rich chocolate shade that was the product of it darkening over the years since my youth, soft eyes that held much more, and an air about him that seemed to becon me. Whoever this guy was, he'd seen things in his life I couldn't even dream of.

"My name is Ken Amada. I am a senior this year - you are too, correct?"

"Yep. So then...is Ken-kun all right?"

"Of course."

"I'm Maiko, Maiko Kuroki. Pleasure to meet you."

"The head of our dorm should be here later. This will be the first semester that it is used again. I apologize that it is a bit out-of-date compared to the rest, but..."

"No, it's fine. I like it already," Offering up a small smile, I reached for the bag containing my few worldly possessions, "I'm kinda tired...mind if I take up a room?"

"I'm sorry. Please, follow me," Ken nodded his head at me as we headed for the stairs. He offered a quick explanation about the second floor being the boys and the third being the girls, though I only listened to enough of it to catch onto that. Can't help it really - it was like all of the energy in me was being sucked completely dry. This place really was nice though.

My room was pretty nifty was well. There was a pink carpet on the ground and a pink comforter on the bed as well as floral wall paper. When I took notice of this, Ken shuffled his feet, "Yukari-san was the last to use this room. I washed the bedding for you before hand, but if the colors are not of your liking..."

"It's perfect. Don't trouble yourself, really," Even if pink wasn't my favorite - purple was, to be honest - I couldn't help but like it. There was a girlishness to the room I hadn't been able to enjoy for a long time, "What do you usually do for breakfast?"

"Normally I heat up leftovers from the night before," Ken confessed with a sheepish smile. Frowning, I shook my head, "All right then. Tomorrow's Sunday, so we'll get up early tomorrow and do some shopping. I'm a really good cook even if I don't look it. If you'll do the clean up portion, I'll whip up a great meal for us."

"Deal," His laughter was contagious and soon I was laughing along with him. Idle conversation that I can't remember anymore drifted between us until the door closed, leaving me alone with my thoughts. It didn't take long to hang up my clothing as all I had was a few outfits. The school uniform would arrive tomorrow hopefully. There was the bed, a desk, a chair, a television, and a mirror already in the room. Internet connection, too, but I didn't have a laptop. Maybe I'd take on a part-time job and try to get one or I'd just high jack the one downstairs to use. No harm in that, right?

So...I went from living with my mom to being told 'you can't stay here' by my dad, then to living with a guy I didn't know at all. In the very least we were in the same grade. He was a bit older then me, but not by more then a few months. Maybe I'd actually try to, you know, make a friend out of him. Or be civil. At least civil.

The bead ring I wore on my finger reminded me of why I was here. Smiling at it, I fell onto my bed after unpacking. Tomorrow would be the first day of the rest of my life. Tomorrow would be a very, very good day.

Tomorrow would be...just tomorrow.


	3. The Velvet Room

**Author's Notes**: Thanks for the comments! I'm glad to know some people are actually reading this. That's what makes it even better to write. The more people who review, the more motivation there is. Every author feels that way.

**hillwise**: He disappeared in the game, yeah, at the last link for him, but in this it wasn't even him, so it isn't too big n.n

**youknowwhatman**: Thank you!

**The Blundering Writer**: Well then, you won't have to wait anymore for this chapter at least n.n

More notes...umm...this chapter will most likely rise some questions, but remember. **THEY WILL BE ANSWERED WITH TIME. **If your review is just to flame me for how I'm setting this up or to ask what the hell is going on, then wait and you'll understand as the story progresses. I'm a college student so things are a bit slow with next chapters. As said, everything will in fact be explained with time. Just hang in there.

--

"Fuck. You."

"What?!"

"You heard me. Go fuck yourself, you damn bastards!"

Oh yeah. Here I am in the middle of a dark alley with three guys a great deal stronger then myself ready to jump me and beat me down. So how did I, Maiko, get into this situation? Well...

I hit my head as soon as I rolled out of bed. That probably was what started the worst possible day of my entire life. Hit my head, couldn't find my school uniform that magically arrived on time, wasn't able to locate my stupid cell phone, skipped out on breakfast, missed the first ride to class on the monorail, and realized I left my damn school bag back in the dorm. Oh yes, this was the start to a great year.

Must...not...smack something...

"Need a lift?" If there was a god or goddess out there, they had sent me an angel in the form of Ken-kun. He had a motorcycle. Squee! The boy in my dorm had a motorcycle! If I had more time, I'd probably admire the view, but I was too busy clinging on for dear life. First time riding and all. Yeah...

Other then that, class sucked as I expected. It was the standard 'welcome to a new year' speech from each teacher as they changed throughout the day. Running for Student Council would begin in a week, clubs would slowly open up, and other then that I didn't give much of a damn. Whatever happened this year didn't matter to me. I was here to find Minato Arisato, make him my own, and... ...And...

Then what? I'd...never really thought of it before.

For the first time in my life, I felt lost. Even after my mother died I felt like I had a purpose, a goal to accomplish. After I met Minato again, then what? Would I stay here? Get a job, go to college maybe? The future seemed so far and distant that I'd never really given it much thought beyond the day to day grind. But now, really, I should probably start thinking of things like what I'd do for money, how I'd help out more at the dorm, what field I wanted to study in, and...

...And that's when I smacked into those damn bastards.

"Hey there babe, want to hang out with us?" If there was one thing I couldn't stand, it was the smell of alcohol and the choking cigarette air. What did these three all reek of? Yep, you guessed it! Remind me to give you a cookie later on. Providing there is a later on, at least.

"Fuck. You."

So, that catches us up to the present. A cute high school girl packed into a corner by three thugs, just waiting for the hero of her dreams, the captain of the school's track team, to arrive and save her. From there they would have a whirlwind romance and find out they were perfect for each other after a heartbreaking parting brought on by destiny.

Hah! What the hell kind of shoujo manga have you been reading? This is reality, people. Things like that don't happen. Though, if Minato was in track, I'd so go for it.

The first attempt was made. A teenager with a wiry frame and bleached blonde hair latched onto my wrist, a move I easily twisted out of with a scowl. It was only when the fattest and tallest, easily seven inches above my height, whipped out a switch blade that I halted every action. Oh, shit, these guys mean business.

Was it...getting darker suddenly...?

"...Gah...!" The middle one dropped to his knees with a gasp, his black eyes widening in a mixture of agony and surprise. The other two followed just as fast. Well now, if this was a shoujo manga like we were saying, the heroine would be overcome with worry by her attackers and stay there waiting for the dramatic rescue.

I'm so glad I'm a smart person, not a manga person, since I bolted the second I could. Screw that shit, I don't want to be cut up and have a weird scar on my face for the rest of my life to symbolize some trauma that I spend fifty plus episodes angsting about.

Just when I thought I was in the safe, what happens? I smack head first into another thug. Yeah, sure, this was the bad end of Port Island Station, but seriously! It wasn't my fault for getting lost!

"Gah...uh...ah...!" Drool. Drool, void blank eyes of nothing but white, and gray skin darkening into black. Uh, yeah. That wasn't natural. This inky stuff was pouring out of his skin at an alarming rate too. All over my new uniform. Oh, for the love of...

"Do you know how hard this is too wash?!" Yeah, I was scared. Just a bit. I mean, come ON. This wasn't exactly natural. To see a stranger start, uh, for lack of a better word, melting in front of you just doesn't go high on your comfort zone. So I resorted to a retort. Much easier to deal with.

From the corner of my eye, I saw it. Bright and pulsing, I was drawn to it. There. I could reach it. In the alley away from these...these things, was a door. A door to reality. I'd wake up after this, right? Surely I was just dreaming. Reacting quickly, I ran. Ran, ran, ran. The knob was cold and firm in my hand, twisting as I stumbled through the door.

A chain-link wall with the world outside of purple and blue swirling by much like that of an elevator shaft. A large clock with quickly spinning hands, a man a yellow scarf and slicked hair, a woman with cropped blonde hair and white covering...?

What the hell was I dreaming?

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, Maiko-chan. My name is Ryoji. Pleased to meet you! This is Aigis-chan. She's a resident here too," At this the blonde, apparently Aigis, bowed stiffly, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Maiko-dono."

...And people in my dream knew my name. Oh yeah, I was losing it.

"This place is sort of another reality, you know? I'm sure you'll have a lot of questions, but for now..."

"Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place. Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require our help to do so. We only ask one thing in return; that you abide by the contract and assume responsibility for the choices that you make," Aigis explained in a soft tone, reminding me of something otherworldly and unnatural, yet so familiar and right.

"...I'm dreaming, right?"

"Yep!" Ryoji perked up with a grin, leaning across the table, "You sure are a cutie. What do you say we ditch this place and go to the mov-"

"Ryoji-san!" Aigis narrowed her eyes in what I assume was disdain. I had odd dreams all right, but this took the icing off the cake.

Bowing at the waist, Aigis sighed, "You are asleep, yes. Forgive us. Time is running short, as your body in the conscious world is in danger. You have been chosen by the threads of fate to follow the rules set before you. Please, take this key," A small velvet key for what I assume was this world of dreams appeared. Hehe, all right. I'd go along with it. Might as well.

"Remember. No matter what happens, we'll be here for you. You've got the tools you need to set the past right," At this, the black-haired guy grinned at me again, flashing a peace sign in my general direction, "Link the chains together. We'll be here to help you, cutie."

As the world around be phased, I had a feeling I was about to be in other my head.

...

...

...

When I came to, this theory proved correct.

It was like an eclipse. The sun wasn't shining at all, replaced by this strange black orb in the sky that radiated darkness so bright it acted as light. The four people I remember in the alley were all on the ground twitching as these strangely inky substances rose from them, swirling into a massive form of darkness. Holy hell, I was screwed.

"_Don't be afraid. You can do it_," That voice. I was beginning to hate that voice. But for some reason, it sounded more familiar this time, as if it was guiding me. At my side rested a card. As soon as my eyes laid on it, my thoughts began to swirl rapidly.

_Judgment -- Rebirth -- Inner Calling -- Absolution_

_Restart -- Accepting past mistakes/actions -- Release_

_Forgiveness -- End of repression -- Reconciliation -- Renewal_

_Decision -- Salvation -- New beginning -- Hope -- Redemption_

"_Let it go. You have it within you_."

The card. Judgment. Right there within me...

Judgment.

"_Release me_."

"**Messiah**!" A scream tore itself from my throat as the air around me began to spiral with the card shattering before me. My dirty school uniform dissolved as I tore the card, a bright light exploding from my body. Tight black leather pants, knee high leather boots, a ruffled white blouse with princess style sleeves, a fencing sword, black leather gloves, and a white ribbon tying my hair into a high ponytail caught my attention with the light vanished. ...What the hell was going on? Was I still dreaming? Please say I was.

A pulse.

Vibration.

In that instant, the air changed. The rapier in my grasp glowed warmly as runes began to appear on the weapon, mingling a deep purple hue. Remember those shadow inky thingies? Yeah. Well, seeing actual light seemed to piss them off, so by my sheer streak of luck they were coming towards me. Oh goody!

"_It is all right. I am the blade that protects you. My strength is yours and yours is mine_," Thank you Mister New Disembodied voice, that's SUCH a big help in this situation.

"Calm down, Maiko, you can do this!" My own voice. My own racing heart. My own sense of the world. This wasn't a dream. This was reality.

Just as the creature formed by the mixed inky shadows attacked, the captain of the track team finally arrived to rescue the heroine from her tragic fate.

Except he wasn't the captain of the track team at all, nor was he what I'd call a hero.

He was my dormmate.


	4. The Shadows

**Author's Notes**: Introduction to a new character and some explanation! Yay! That might make things. The plot is slowly being unwound. -grins-

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Persona or the characters in this story. Wait. Actually, I do. I own Sayuri who gets introduced in this chapter. I would love if someone could do a fanart of her, too n-n She'd be fun to draw.

**Justin T. Melanson**: Trust me, it'll make sense eventually xD Everything will fit together and fall in place. This chapter holds a lot of foreshadowing, especially with the Judgment Arcana.

**Chris ShadowMoon**: Evokers do appear still n-n Just not for Maiko. -nodnod- The rest will be given them, don't worry there. All Persona games besides 3 use the tarot cards xD As for Minato, he will be appearing soon, but not in the way most people will be expecting.

**A Request**: This story does and will contain original characters as well as canon characters. The character of Inoue Sayuri is mine and will be appearing as a dorm member, but that leaves many slots open still. There are four female bedrooms and five male bedrooms. Maiko and Sayuri consist of two females while Ken is the one male so far. Naturally, that leaves two female and four male. I need ideas and concepts for characters. This is to get other people thinking of characters as well as a chance to have their work shown in a fanfiction they did not write. With that, there also comes...

**A Catch**: You will not be able to write for this character in the story. If this idea becomes popular enough, I may start a role-playing group though for ideas and things. You will be giving a name, a background, and a core personality, but I am free to change it as I see fit. You cannot be related to a main game character at all, you will not be able to be paired with a main game character, and there is the chance of character death. I'm not sure how long this story will be, but I do plan to keep it going for some time.

**Please**: I, Luna, am not a huge fan of Mary Sues, as no one is. That's probably why Maiko is gaining a tsundere personality so far and why she and Sayuri already clash in this chapter. If you want to submit an original character to me, please send me an email at with the title "Persona 3: Light in Darkness" and this template;

**Full Name**: First and last, please.

**Age**: Between 15 and 18, Freshman to Senior. Japanese high school three years only.

**Gender**: Male or female.

**Physical Description**: (At least two paragraphs.)

**Personality**: (At least three paragraphs.)

**Background**: (It doesn't have to be a novel, but at least two paragraphs again.)

**Persona**: Must be one from the game. Pick wisely, as it must be in the Arcana of choice.

**Arcana**: Cannot be Judgement, Death, Fool, or Moon. Those four are filled.

You can submit as many OCs as you want to, but that doesn't mean all will appear. Please don't be offended if they aren't - I will make sure to at least mention them somehow for those participating.

--

Step. Step. Twist. Dodge. Block. Step. Step.

It was like a dance of sorts. The rapier in my grasp flowed easily as I crouched down low, swinging my free arm upwards in order to deliver a swift uppercut to the one closest to me. Ken seemed to be holding his own as well by kicking and throwing punches. It was obvious by his moves that he was shocked at what was going on and surprised at me even being here, but time for explanations would come later. How I was going to explain this, though, I had no idea. Would the 'you fell and hit your head' theory work? For some reason I doubted it.

'_The Judgment in the right position: surprises, positive change, freedom, enthusiasm, renewal in all areas, charm, repentance. The Judgment in the reverse position: conflict, lies, depression, frustration. When Judgment appears in a reading, it is usually interpreted as a signal of an impending judgment, such as of postponed decisions. As the card symbolizes resurrection, it can also be interpreted to herald the return of individuals from the past_.'

That did it. I was getting tired of this disembodied voice speaking into my ear, especially during strange situations like this. The three men laying down had began to set off my 'worry' function. Were they breathing? What was this stuff that had come from them? Seriously, wouldn't someone tell me what was going on?!

"...Ken-kun! What are you...!" Panic swelled inside me when the brunette whom had jumped over the wall to rescue me (or whatever he was really doing) pulled out a gun. A. Gun. What the hell!? That did it. I was never eating anything before bed with sugar again. It gave me severely fucked up, long-ass dreams that involved too many things to even remember.

That was about the time I saw him point the gun to his head.

That was also about the time I should've been paying attention to the creature about to bash a nearby trash can against my head.

Yeah. Come on, say it with me.

Game Over.

--

The room was bright. Not from a lamp or anything being on, but from the sunlight streaming in through the windows. This was the first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes to face the new day full of possibility and all that jazz - it was bright. Well, that and my head hurt. Where in the world am I?

"All right. No fingers are missing," I murmured to myself and winced, raising my hand to my head as the world spun. From a quick glance I was in my bedroom at the dorm I would live in for the remainder of my high school career. In the very least, this reassured me since it meant I wasn't dead or being maimed. What a way to conk out.

"Oh! You're awake!" Huh? What was Ken doing in my bedroom? I never had time to ask since he was by my side in a second to check me over, "Thank goodness! You've been out for three full days!"

Three days? Oh hell, I was going to have a load of work to do catching up at school.

For now, that didn't matter. I needed answers.

"We need to talk."

--

"Those things are called Shadows. Or, they used to be. I'm not sure what they are anymore. I haven't seen or heard of them being around for ten years now. The group known as S.E.E.S used this dorm to fight them. I was a member of it when I was still a child," I leaned back into the couch as Ken sat across from me, giving me the explanation I wanted to hear, "Tartarus. You know where our school is? There was an incident twenty years ago were a mass of Shadows were used in experiments. Those who were part of S.E.E.S could summon their inner powers known as Persona."

"Persona..."

"Yes, Persona. The manifestation of our psyche. It is what we use to fight Shadows."

"I...used one, too..." My voice sounded far away and distant. Even though I was hearing this and speaking, it was more like I was watching from the eyes of someone else. This couldn't be real, could it?

"That's when I came running. I saw you summon a Persona out of the blue when I was walking down the street. In that past, they were only able to appear in the Dark Hour, as that was when our powers were usable to battle our enemies. But the Dark Hour - ahh, that was the hidden hour after midnight - vanished and has not been experienced since."

Dark Hour. Persona. I was going to have a migraine even worse then I already did at this rate.

"Ten years ago, we all went our separate ways. I hear the members of S.E.E.S are doing great. Akihiko-san is a police officer now and Mitsuru-san runs the Kirijo Corporation. Junpei-san is owns Hagakure now in the Iwatodai Station. Fuuka-san works for the news as an anchorwoman while Yukari-san writes children books. We had three others in this dorm as well, but they've all passed away," Ken stared at the ground for a moment, "Shijiro-san sacrificed his life to protect mine. I'll never forget that he is partially responsible for my mother's death, but I...I wish things had been different..."

"Then there was Koro-chan. He was the best dog ever," The memories weighed him down. Even I from across the room could tell this. It made my chest hurt for some reason, "He died a few years back from age. Time takes away everyone, doesn't it? That's why he's gone too," The way he said 'he' made me think of another person. I don't know why, but that feeling grew tighter.

Shaking his head, Ken continued, "How did you summon?"

"There was this card that appeared out of nowhere," Feeling resigned, I sighed, "I've been hearing this weird voice. I had to sign a contract then I was pulled into this weird dream-room place where a weird guy named Ryoji-san and some blonde named Aigis-san-"

"What?!" I fell backwards into the couch when Ken jumped up, his eyes wide and his features pale. Had I said something weird?

"Umm...Velvet Room. They were in a place called the Velvet Room."

"...I...I see..." He sat back down upon hearing this. Swallowing a sudden lump in my throat, I debated if I should ask why he suddenly got so worked up or just carry on. Latter over the former any day at this moment.

"So, I, umm, tore the card and screamed 'Messiah!' Then I kept hearing this weird voice again. It said something about...Lets see...When Judgment appears in a reading, it is usually interpreted as a signal of an impending judgment, such as of postponed decisions. As the card symbolizes resurrection, it can also be interpreted to herald the return of individuals from the past. Something like that."

"..." I wanted to know what he was thinking. The silence that emitted from him was thick and tangible, almost suffocating me. Say something. Dammit, Ken, speak!

"He used Messiah, too," Sorrow. I didn't like that sound. Who was he? Why did it make this young man in front of me seem so sad and out of things? I wanted to know. Something inside me told me that I needed to know this more then anything.

So why couldn't I ask?

"You had a gun."

"An evoker. We - S.E.E.S again - used them to summon our Persona. I've never seen a person's clothing change and a weapon appear like that. It was almost as if your Persona possessed you, changing you to its image for the time being. I'm not sure, but it either means that your powers are so weak that it can't manifest," At this I scoffed in indignation, "or it means they are too powerful to be revealed at the time," and smirked at that.

"Kala-Nemi. That is the one I use. I'm sorry I wasn't more help in battle," Hearing Ken apologize so sincerely wiped that expression off my face. Instead I leaned forward and waved my hand quickly, "I'm alive, so I'm fine, No severe damage done outside a fractured skull probably."

"But, why are the Shadows returning?" He stood up, an action I felt too dizzy to do, and began pacing, "They represent the coming of Nyx. Tartarus hasn't appeared, the Dark Hour isn't around, and these Shadows literally escaped from the bodies of people. It doesn't make sense."

"Yes, it does," Blonde hair. Not just blonde hair, platinum blonde. It looked almost silver because of how bright and shiny it was. Dyed, obviously, but it still looked nice on the girl. The way it flowed all the way down to her waist meshed well with her skin, a healthy peach shade that wasn't dark or pale, just in between. The side locks of her hair were tied up into braids. To make her stand out even more was that her hair tips were all a hot, hot pink shade, bringing a 'pop' to it all. The purple contact lenses she wore didn't make her blend into the realm of normality exactly either.

"Ahh, I apologize. Maiko-san, while you were asleep, we had a new arri-"

"My name is Inoue Sayuri," She introduced herself in the traditional Japanese way, much unlike how I usually did. I like to do it the foreign way just to stand out a bit, "We're in the same grade. Ken's been fillin' me in," Placing a hand on her hip, I noticed Sayuri sizing me up slowly. Eh, it's to be expected.

"How does it make sense?" To clear the air, Ken spoke up. The unusual female plopped down unceremoniously on the chair to see both of us easily, "They aren't Shadows. Simple as that."

"If they aren't Shadows, what are they?" Already feeling defensive that things had gone on without me, I shot a glare at Ken accusingly, "and how does she know all of this? Was she part of S.E.E.S too?"

"Ahh, no, she isn't, but she is a Persona user. Sayuri-san, would you?"

"Sure, sure. Ten years ago I woke up at midnight freakin' out about coffins and shit, only to find out it was pretty normal. I spoke to my aunt about it - she runs an antique shop in the mall - since I caught a conversation of hers to a friend of hers about some documents she wanted placed in a tower. After a bit of work and a couple of years, I woke up to be able to summon Persona. I've gone to school with Ken since I was a kid. My parents, too, died the same way his did. I never bothered to figure out why."

"In any case, he called me up askin' questions and I spoke to my aunt. She transfered me over to this dorm so I could start livin' here and begin checkin' out various things, you know, just in case. Not all of us can sleep for three day, Sleepin' Beauty."

"Sayuri-san!"

"What? If she's gonna be useless, Ken, then gettin' rid of her is easier."

Oh, that did it. Bitch, this is war now.

"I'm not useless!" The world spun around me as I stood up. Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared, "Shadows. Persona. I don't give a damn about any of this! I'll do what I have to until I find Minato Arisato though!"

"...Did you..." Snapping my gaze towards Ken as he spoke, I glared, "What?!"

"Did you...not know?" Sayuri too seemed interested since I saw her lean forward out of the corner of my eye. Swallowing, Ken looked nervous. Too nervous for someone innocent.

"Minato-san has been dead for ten years now."

...What?


	5. The Ending

**Author's Note:** Gah, Sorry! I know I haven't updated in awhile, but life is having a lot of difficulties. If it takes awhile for a chapter to come out, just be patient. I'm not quiting it or anything like that. Also, I only have three different people who have sent in their original characters, but I could use some more male ideas if anyone is willing n.n

**mangafreak7793**: Sorry for taking so long, I've been dealing with college and working on a Persona 3 RPG and club on Deviantart, so I've been distracted xD

**Seikyuu**: I realized recently Ken would be out of high school if this is ten years later, but I'm ignoring that little plothole since I like him in it to n.n

**Kitty**: The transformation is actually explained in this chapter xD Thanks for the review too! Ryoji and Aigis in the Velvet Room get explained this chapter as well, come to thank of it.

**BlackLadyCharon**: The Moon Arcana is for Sayuri, but that could be changed it you wanna use it n.n

**Darkforce222**: I'm glad a lot of people actually like Maiko. I was worried at first that her personality would drive people away, but it seems to be making it more interesting.

**Justin T. Melanson**: Wow, I didn't realize I hadn't updated in so long...Xx Gah. More pieces fall into place here, so it's all good.

--

"You could have told me."

"And ruin all of the fun? Hardly," He snorted at me. He. Snorted. At. Me. If I could, I would lean across this damn table and ring his neck. As it was I was trying my hardest not to lash out like some emotionally kid who just lost her pet. I felt that weak and defenseless - did he have to make it worse? By that wicked grin on his face, I assumed he did.

"So what's your defect?" Ryoji leaned back in his chair boredly. I took note of how his yellow scarf brushed against the ground due to its length and for one moment wished he'd catch it on the end of the table and choke. That'd make my day better.

"She is not defuctional. She is merely shocked," Aigis answered the question while placing a cup of tea in front of me. The simple action warmed me enough to earn a smile and a quick word of murmured thanks. All the man across from me did was roll his eyes, "All right. You want to know how he died, right, and how Ken Whatshisname knows about it, right?"

"Right!"

I never expected the answer I was given. Ryoji spoke thoroughly of the Shadows, of Nyx, of S.E.E.S., of Minato and the others who had been in the dorm, of how they moved on, and how they hoped that things would never be destroyed again after the Abyss of Time sealed. He told me that Messiah was Minato's ultimate Persona and he even told me what he was, Death.

I would swallow all of it. Really, I could. That didn't necessarily mean I completely understood it or was able to go with it, but I could swallow it.

"So why...why me?"

"Because you were an influence on his power," The wicked smile on the man's face made me cringe just a bit, "You were the Hanged Man, a link in the chain that Minato wove to great the seal that now protects this world. You became part of his soul and, in turn, are one of the protectors of humanity. Of course, you aren't the _**only**_ one, but you are the one who answered the call."

"The call?" My voice had a dull echo when I spoke. That smile of his bothered me when it widened, "I sent out a call because the time has come to relieve him. His soul's been trapped up there for such a long time, you know? Even he, with all of his power, won't be able to withstand it forever. Each and every day he weakens more and more. Soon enough the cries of humanity will break through to Nyx and recreate The Fall as it was meant to happen. There's a slight problem though."

"And what is...?"

"For Nyx to come, there must be an Appriser. I was the avatar of Nyx, you see, and now I'm the master of the Velvet Room. How is that so?"

Wait. He was asking me? Umm... "I...I don't know. I don't understand any of this!"

"It is because he wished it that way," Aigis focused her gaze fully on me as if seeing me for the first time despite having served me the tea, "When the end of the world came, Minato-san offered his life to protect everyone and seal away Death once more. The part of Nyx Avatar known as Ryoji was sealed inside his body until he passed away. Upon that time-"

"I got it from here, babe," The blonde merely lapsed back into silence as the black-haired man kicked his feet up onto the table. Still smiling. That damn smile...! "When Minato kicked the bucket, the part that knew him well, Pharos, and the part of me that was human, Ryoji, found this place. Igor offered a trade; I would be allowed to retain my consciousness, memories, and existence if I stay and take this place until the time for birth came with Aigis as my assistant or I could wander endlessly for eternity. Kind of an easy choice."

"What do you mean, birth?" The confusion was getting stronger in me and that smile of his wasn't leaving his face. If anything it grew wider when he spoke more.

"_Re_birth, I should say. I told you that I sent out a call of sorts, right? Well, you're the one who responded. Out of all of them you were the one touched most recently by Death itself and the one who retained the strongest feelings - as well as the memories - of Minato himself. That makes you dangerous."

...What?

"Don't get confused. I'm explaining, I'm explaining. I said Nyx needs an Appriser, didn't I? That was my job. I was Death and all that. But you, you're different. You answered my call due to Minato's influence. I was thinking it'd be that Yuko or Chihiro chick, but neither of them did. 'sides, they're both married. They'd be a bad sacrifice."

...Sacrifice?

"Eh, semi-sacrifice," Ryoji was good at reading the horror on my face in the very least, "The sacrifice you'll make is becoming the Appriser. That's why you can't summon your Persona, see? The Persona, Messiah, stays inside you and possesses you, kinda. It's hard to explain. You use Persona, but the Persona also uses you. That's why you did that spiffy little transformation and were able to fight; you were possessed by Messiah. With time you'll master it. As for the sacrifice..."

"Hold on a minute!" My eyes had to be the size of saucers by now, "I'm going to be the Appriser?!"

"It is the only way," Aigis again. Her voice was soft and smooth next to mind, though it did little to calm me, "You answered the call. Ryoji-san called out for one touched by Minato, one of the links of the web he had weaved here, and you responded. You will be made the next Appriser to summon Nyx."

Panic. Fear. Both warred in me, and I wanted to bolt. It felt like I was glued to the chair though as this surge of emotion gripped me. Why? Why was this happening? Why me?

"Because you were touched by Death," Ryoji reminded me, "The last to endure it. That makes you the strongest choice was now. We have a plan of course. Wanna hear it?"

I was too numb at this point to disagree; my legs were jelly.

"When the seal is broken, Minato's soul will be released. At that time I will seek it out. You must do the same as Minato did by gathering links for your chain and strengthening your relationships with others. I was a Shadow, a mindless being at first...you are human. When you and Nyx merge, you will have the chance to completely destroy it if your power and will is strong enough. ...Or so my theory is," That smile...!

"When Nyx is fully gone, everyone will be happy. Minato will be back too. He'll need a body, 'course, hence why he'll probably end up being reborn. In time he'll remember it all though. Our main concern right now is freeing his soul. It's what you want too, isn't it?"

For a moment I saw Aigis flinch a bit. Slowly, very slowly, she nodded her head, though the torment in her eyes was obvious. This was going against some sort of code she had. I wanted to know what it was, but I was afraid too ask. Too afraid to do anything but let these thoughts all sink in.

Minato Arisato, the boy I traveled all the way here for, was dead. I wasn't supposed to remember him at all, and I was a 'link' in his chain. The Hanged Man.

My mother died. As such, I was touched by Death.

I was, in essence, Messiah. The Persona invoked me when I summoned it and fought for me until I could master it. What if I never did?

Appriser. Nyx. I still didn't fully get those terms or understand it, but...

"Nyx is the end of all humanity. The end of everything," Aigis' voice caused me to nod.

I was ushering in the end of the world. Joy. Just another Saturday night.

But, because I was human, there was a chance I could beat it from the inside. I could win. And then Minato would be...be free? I still didn't understand that either...and yet...

"I don't understand half this crap," I answered honestly as I stood up, staring at the ceiling, "but I'm in. I'll do it."

His smile faded into a smirk, "Welcome to the dark side, babe."

"Not quite yet," Shaking my head, I turned towards the door, "I'm still me. That will never change. I'm still...me."

That's all I could be for now.

--

**End of Part One**


	6. The Lapse

**Author's Note**: Part two starts now! Yumi, Imre, and Tokami belong to their respective owners.

**~*~*~**

April. I liked April. Or I used to.

But April came and passed. There was no more April for this year. Gah, a lot happened that month, too. I mean...It's not every day you find out you're a persona user, hear voices in your head, enter alternate realities, and get told your death incarnate, now is it?

No, no it's not. And if it is, congrats, your life is as screwed up as mine.

"You're sighing again," Indeed I damn well was. Here it was May - midway through it, too! - and that meant exams were just around the corner. I wasn't ready for this at all!

"Kind of hard not to be sighing. Did Ken-kun tell you anything about the recent outbreak of unconscious people?" I asked when I turned to look at the black-haired girl at my side. Yumi Hirami had already became someone I could count on during this entire process. But let me back up a bit, all right? I'll organize it all in a nice easy way.

After Ryoji dropped the bomb on me, I decided not to tell Ken Amada that I was, well, going to probably end up killing us all if I failed. Things began to happen pretty rapidly after that. Sayuri pointed out that the shadows - we figured we'd call them that after all - appeared to drain the life out of their victims but never enough to kill them completely. Most ended up sleeping for a few days before waking up again all normal-ish without anything at all wrong with them.

Not all, though.

So far two individuals had disappeared completely. It was through the process of pointing fingers that Sayuri and I, between arguing, decided they were probably taken over by these shadow things like the ones I'd seen in the back streets of Port Island. Maybe they were trying to find appropriate hosts or something. It was a possibility. ...Yeah.

Then there were the other three we'd found out had been attacked. Or, easier to say, they found me.

Yumi Hirami. When I first saw her at school in the beginning of the month, she'd stood out. There was this strange sort of...I don't know. Glow to her. Turns out she'd been attacked. Funny little thing? I found out two days later she'd awakened to the ability of using persona, just like Ken and Sayuri. Her persona drew its power from Strength.

Tokami Akai-no came next. She had the same sort of...oh, I don't know what it is! Glow, feel, something! She was a shorty, too. Kind of funny like that. Anyway, she never looks like she gets enough sleep. Ever seen that anime Death Note? I've been watching it recently. She reminds me of a that weird guy, Ryuzaki or L or whatever his name is. I dunno - Light's cooler. But anyway, Tokami has those same bags, so it's a decent reference in my mind. Hanged Man is her power, I think.

Then there's...well, there is Imre Tsuikoji. Eye-meer-uh. Kind of a weird name, you know? He's odd too. There's that slight feminine appearance to him and the way he acts reminds me of...just not the typical guy, all right? I'm pretty observant and there's something a bit off with him. Not in a bad way, just different. It's kind of relaxing almost. Though, him being the Priestess makes me want to laugh every time.

Those three joined our ranks within a single week. I don't know any of them that well yet, but I do know I can count on them. I won't let them down either as long as I can keep it all together.

Shaking my head as I walked, I parted ways with Yumi in order to head to the club I had joined after school. Fencing. Yeah, yeah, I know. Odd club to join. It seemed like the perfect thing, though, considering the weapon Messiah liked to bury himself in. Agh, what a pain in the ass...

...On second thought, nah. I don't feel like going after all. I have to take care of studying for exams that start next week. Luckily it's Saturday and tomorrow is Sunday or I'd fail it all so very, very horridly.

"Maiko-san, are you going home?" The soft voice of Imre caused me to turn. Next to him was Tokami and Ken, the former with her hands on her hips and the latter with a smile on his face, "We were planning to stop by the mall to investigate a possible lead on the situation of the shadows. According to Ken-san, there was one a problem under Club Escapada. Perhaps some fragments linger in there of the past, yes?"

"It's worth a shot," Tokami raised her hand to her mouth as she yawned, her nose scrunching up just a bit. In a short time things had already sort of...formed between people. Sayuri and Tokami got along really well while Imre and Yumi had the same sort of dedication to their causes to keep them intertwined along with their love of animals. Part of me was jealous. They could connect so easily - why couldn't I?

And, dammit, wasn't I supposed to?! Ryoji had told me I needed to meet a lot of people, make a lot of friends, and become someone I'm not if i wanted to have any hope of saving myself at the pivotal moment.

Yeah. We're thoroughly screwed.

"Are you all right?" Ken asked me with worried brown eyes. Sighing heavily, I shrugged, "Call Yumi-san and Sayu-heisha. We'll investigate the mall."


End file.
